artful times challenge travel tag

well, I missed the last fornights challenge so thought I had better be a bit quicker with taking part in this one !. The challenge which you can find here is to make a travel themed tag. I seen to have loads of stamps with a venice theme so went with that. I have to confess that I have never actually been to Venice although it would be nice to go one day. I used distress inks in brushed corderoy, antique linen and tea dye to give a really aged look to my tag. Stamps used from Stampington and Oxford Impressions. It really did not take long to make this so why not give this a challenge a go ? Thanks for looking x Lavinia

arful times challenge - seaside

Well I have not fallen off of the earth, just everyday life getting in the way of crafting. I cannot believe we are in July already and still no sign of summer Lol. You may have noticed that I have tried to give my blog a facelift after admiring others arty backgrounds. The background is now lovely but I seem to have made a right pigs ear of everything else. I shall have to have another fiddle with it when I have a minute. I have not managed to take part in any challenges for weeks but the challenge over at Artful times which you can find here this fortnight is a seaside theme. I managed to sneak off tonight while husband finished off the dinner and the children were busy on the WII, hee hee. Hence my entry was quick and easy today for lack of time. I covered a postcard with some background paper with a vintage theme that I have had for ever. I pulled out two wooden stamps which are also very old, the ship image and the couple which is one of my favourite stamps. The ticket image peeping out was a craft stamper freebie which says free entry to fairyland hence I`ve covered most of it up ! I stamped with Ranger black archival onto Ranger speciality paper which gives a really crisp clear image. I`ve then watercoloured using the distress markers. Still not sure how I like the effect of the markers on this paper. The colours are very sutble which is what you want on a vintage type piece I guess. I used forest moss on the ladies dress and it has come out almost grey. I think I will experiment with using them on different types of watercolour paper and card to see which result I like best. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

less is more childrens

well, here we are with a different computer which has taken me all day to try and fathom out ! quick post then. The them over at less is more this week which you can find here is baby or childrens cards. I used Magnolia stamps for my card which never see the light of day nowadays. I got sidetracked into buying them before realising they weren`t really my style Lol not that there is anything wrong with them, I just cannot do the whole hundred layers of papers and embellishment thing. I used copics for my colouring. Better get a shuffle on now to link it before it closes !

Just to let you all know my blog will come to a halt for a bit. I turned on my computer this morning to scan in my card to blog and nothing. I think the moniter has gone kaput. I am blogging this from my daughters laptop but being technically challenged do not know how to connect all the printer and stuff to this one. So until I can get another computer up and running I may well be taking an enforced break from challenges for a while. I shall still visit them to keep up to date so I shall be there in spirit. It just never rains but it pours does it ? hope to get back into blogland soon x Lavinia

artful times birds

Over at the Artful times challenge blog which you can find here the theme is birds. Now I have a `thing` about bird stamps, I cannot resist buying them because I love them. However, all inspiration seems to have left me at the moment. All I seem to do these days is work and come home then go back to work again. Never mind, I did manage to make a tag although its not my finest hour. I used distress inks in chipped sapphire, tumbled glass and broken china for the background using the wrinkle free distress technique. I then oversponged using a crafters workshop pattern template , oh and a hero arts old french writing stamp. The bird image is from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto a piece of their patterned paper in versafine. I then sewed my flower and button onto the bottom. So thats my paltry effort this time round Lol hopefully the next challenge will see me more rested and refreshed. I could sooo do with a holiday. Thanks for looking x Lavinia

less is more 3 stamps

I am so behind with everything at the moment. I have been doing lots of overtime which will be fine when my wages come but everything is falling waaay behind ! Over at the less is more challenge blog which you can find here the challenge set is to do a one layer card using three stamps. Must admit this caused me a bit of head scratching as to what to do at first. Not sure I`m particulary pleased with my effort either but am really pushed for time at the minute. I used a cream card blank, versafine sepia ink, three stamps from a Chocolate Baroque Key to my dreams themeplate and a few sparkly stones. Um and that was it. Simples ? you think, the trouble with stamping directly onto a card blank of course is that if you muck it up, you have to start again ! Don`t ask how I know Lol. I`m sure everyone has made a far more pleasing attempt than mine so I am off to have a nosey x Lavinia

artful times challenge

Two posts in one day ! this rainy weather is doing wonders for my crafting Lol. Right I will post photos but bear in mind they are dismal. Will try to take another set when we actually get some sunshine.

The challenge over at artful times which you can find here is time. For some reason nothing imediately jumped to mind even though this is such a popular theme. Then I decided to go with something different and try a chunky ATC. I say chunky, mine is slimline because that was the only size wood my husband had in the garage so it is not 2 1/2 inches wide. The above is the front panel, clock background paper with a stamped clock and glossy accents, and Tim Holtz sprocket gears. These are the two side panels

I used Ranger foil sheets embossed in a Tim Holtz folder. I used Tims tip of layering the foil onto glossy card first before running through the folder. This makes such a difference giving a much more clear crisp result. The final panel is this one

I used distress inks and a Chocolate Baroque tree stamp. The picture is awful I know, but there is an epoxy sticker that says time, I have hand written just to be under that. I did order some lovely posh Tim Holtz feet for the bottom but they were just a tad too big. I had to use some plastic beads instead. Never mind, I have four beautiful feet for another project ! x Lavinia